Tag Archives: irhythm

The skeptical cardiologist still feels that KardiaPro has eliminated use of long term monitoring devices for most of his afib patients

However not all my afib patients are willing and able to self-monitor their atrial fibrillation using the Alivecor Mobile ECG device. For the Kardia unwilling and many patients who don’t have afib we are still utilizing lots of long term monitors.

The ambulatory ECG monitoring world is very confusing and ever-changing but I recently came across a nice review of the area in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine which can be read in its entirety for free here.

This Table summarizes the various options available. I particularly like that they included relative cost. .

The traditional ambulatory ECG device is the “Holter” monitor which is named after its inventor and is relatively inexpensive and worn for 24 to 48 hours.

The variety of available devices are depicted in this nice graphic:

For the last few years we have predominantly been using the two week “patch” type devices in most of our patients who warrant a long term monitor. The Zio is the prototype for this but we are also using the BioTelemetry patch increasingly.

The more expensive mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (MCOT) devices like the one below from BioTel look a lot like the patches now. The major difference to the patient is that the monitor has to be taken out and recharged every 5 days. In addition, as BioTel techs are reviewing the signal from the device they can notify the patient if the ECG from the patch is inadequate and have them switch to an included lanyard/electrode set-up.

The advantage of the patch monitors is that they are ultraportable, relatively unobtrusive and they monitor continuously with full disclosure.

The patch is applied to the left chest and usually stays there for two weeks (and yes, patients do get to shower during that time) at which time it is mailed back to the company for analysis.

Skep Doc.
The website of Harriet Hall, MD. Mother, family doctor, USAF flight surgeon, pilot and author. With almost 800 posts in my blog, you’d think I’d run out of topics to write about. The good news is, when it comes to so-called alternative medicine (SCAM), th

Important Medical Links

Skeptical Medicine
This outstanding website comes from John Byrne, MD. It has a wealth of really well-written and well-researched articles and touches on critical thinking in medicine, logical fallacies, statistics, alternative medicine, pseudoscience, and quackery.

Prominent Quacks And Snake Oil Salesmen

Excellent Review of Dr. Oz
Summarizes how Dr. Oz has gone from respectable physician to snake oil promoter. The reasons for this transformation are unclear but I advise my patients to ignore anything he says at this point.